SADDs

Position Against Use of Alcoholic Beverages By Underage Youth

Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) of Marlborough, Ma. absolutely does not
condone under any circumstances the consumption and possession of alcoholic beverages by
anyone under the age of 21. Being in the adolescent age demographic means that the brain
development is still continuing and hardly finished. The development of the brain is an integral
and crucial part of the maturing of humanity, and consuming alcohol before brain development
concludes is reckless and high risk.
Teenagers who choose to consumer alcohol become more susceptible to learning and memory
impairments. These adolescent students, typically between the ages of 11 to 18, are especially
prone to making destructive decisions, namely drunk driving. Among 15- to 20-year-old drivers
involved in fatal crashes in 2006, 31 percent of the drivers who were killed had been drinking
and 77 percent of these drivers were unrestrained. Adolescents who choose to consumer alcohol
are at far greater risk of death in an alcohol-related crash than the overall population, despite the
fact that they are below the minimum drinking age in every state.
Independent studies have shown that students in schools with an established SADD chapter are
more aware of and informed about the risks of underage drinking, other drug use, and impaired
driving. Students in schools with a SADD chapter are also more likely to hold attitudes reflecting
positive reasons not to use alcohol. SADD is available for students throughout their school
career, starting in sixth grade and continuing through college. SADD offers all youth the
opportunity to get involved and lead prevention initiatives in their individual communities. With
guidance from the adult advisor and assessment tools provided by SADD National, SADD
students determine program needs for their communities and implement strategies that mirror the
cultural values of the target youth population in their localities. This organization is free to all
who want to join. Fund-raising, grants and donations pay for all programming. With thousands
of chapters nationwide, SADD is able to reach millions of youth across the country with
prevention messages and programming. The activities of SADD chapters affect school
populations, parents, local community organizations, businesses, law enforcement agencies, and
the media.
SADD is a nonprofit organization committed to empowering young people to lead education and
prevention initiatives in their schools and communities. The purpose of SADD is to provide
students with the proper education and information regarding destructive decisions and the
severe potential consequences. The members and staff of SADD are fully aware of the severity
of pressures on young people to consume alcohol as well as to pursue various other destructive
decisions. SADD wants not to scold and punish the students who make destructive choices, but
instead seeks to inform, educate and support adolescents to continually make positive and safe
decisions in their lives.